The arts and creative industries are a great Manchester success story. They make a huge contribution to our city and region. Labour supported the arts in Government and the City Council continues to invest in getting the best out of the arts for local people.

This Government however, has threatened the arts. We’ve seen this over the last couple of weeks with the dire warnings from the Science Museum Group about the possible closure of northern museums which have seen a 25% drop in funding on David Cameron and Nick Clegg’s watch.

It is shameful that our own Museum of Science and Industry, part of the Science Museum Group was ever under threat. It makes a fantastic contribution to cultural life in the city and is a fantastic resource for parents and schools. It helps our tourist trade in the city thrive and is a boost to our economy.

Whilst I’m glad that the Culture Minister made a commitment yesterday to safeguard the future of the Museum of Science and Industry I’m calling on the Minister to pledge to the people of Manchester that the museum will remain free at the point of use. The Government must ensure that the funding used to support the museum and the Group is enough to keep the museum free for visitors.

I’m backing the arts and creative industry in our city. It’s time the Government did the same.

Whilst the figures show a drop in youth unemployment this increase in long term unemployment is worrying, adding to the benefit bill and impacting individuals, families and communities.

To coincide with the figures the Government has released figures showing that average incomes fell for the second year in a row in 2011-12 with average incomes no higher than they were a decade ago once inflation is taken into account. Absolute poverty is at the highest level since 2002-03 with over 10 million households living below the breadline.

Lucy Powell MP said: “These terrible long term unemployment figures are an indictment on this Government’s economic failure. They are the human cost of measures that are failing children and families and leaving the long term unemployed without hope. It is getting clearer by the day that this government is letting down Manchester people.

“We urgently need action to get local people into work. This is why Labour is calling for a compulsory jobs guarantee, which will get any adult out of work for more than two years, or young person out of work for a year, into a job – one they would be required to take.”

Commenting on the poverty figures Lucy added: “The rise in the number of families in work and in poverty is deeply worrying. The Government is failing to make work pay for people as wages stagnate and prices rise. We need real action on childcare, jobs, and wages. Manchester is on the front line in the fight against poverty. We mustn’t let David Cameron and Nick Clegg fail a generation of children.”

The Bill has been a long time coming and so it is perhaps surprising that there are a number of glaring omissions when it comes to improving support for vulnerable children and families.

One of the biggest gaps in the Bill is the failure of the Government to join up support for young carers. This Carers Week the Government has a chance to put that right.

Young carers are children and young people who provide regular and on-going care and emotional support to a parent, sibling or grandparent who is physically or mentally ill, disabled or misuses substances. The 2001 census identified 175,000 young carers in the UK, with 13,000 caring for more than 50 hours per week. Analysis by the National Young Carers Coalition shows that the 2011 census identified 178,000 young carers in England and Wales alone; an 83% increase in the number of young carers aged 5 to 7 years and a 55% increase in the number of children caring who are aged 8 to 9 years. Caring can have a massive impact on the lives o these children and young people. It is vital we take action to support them better. That’s why I supported amendments to the Bill at Committee stage to improve identification and support for young carers at home and at school.

Young carers can miss out on the support they need, impacting on their educational and employment prospects. Caring can have worrying effects on their health and wellbeing. Failure to identify and support young carers and their families can also lead to crisis and avoidable child protection issues.

Adult carers are due to receive new rights under the Care Bill. However, it is still not clear whether the Government will ensure that young carers will also benefit from stronger rights to protect their futures.

The Children and Families Bill and the Care Bill provide a real opportunity for Government to make this right for young carers. Young carers should not be left behind with unequal rights compared with adult carers. For too long, young carers have not been protected sufficiently by the law. It is only right that young carers are protected the same as adult carers.

Supporting New Clause 5 at Report stage of the Children and Families Bill would make a real difference for young carers. The National Young Carers Coalition have done a great job highlighting this issue and I hope colleagues in Parliament will support this amendment for assessing and supporting young carers, to ensure these vulnerable young people don’t lose out.

The Government has a duty to protect the rights of young carers and I will continue to press them on this issue.